Toliet seat apparatus

ABSTRACT

A toilet bowl slide apparatus for redirecting urine which is projected in the direction of the gap between the toilet bowl and toilet tank into the toilet bowl. The toilet bowl slide apparatus comprises a contiguous structure defined by a slide portion, an elongated back plate, and a back portion. The slide portion extends from approximately the point where the toilet seat attaches to the toilet bowl into the toilet bowl to a point above the water level. The back portion and the elongated back plate rest in the area where the toilet bowl and tank meet and extend vertically up the toilet tank, respectively, forming a counterweight which balances the slide portion, enabling it to remain in place during the ordinary use of the flush toilet on which it is installed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to bathroom accessories and, moreparticularly, to slide apparatus adapted attach to a toilet and redirectstray urine or splashed urine into the toilet bowl.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The use of flush toilets is well known in many parts of the world. Flushtoilets are most often defined by a vitreous, ceramic bowl containingwater and connected to a flushing mechanism and a drainpipe. Typically,women use a flush toilet while in a seated position facing away from thebowl, while men on some occasions use a flush toilet both while in theseated position and facing away from the bowl and on others use it in astanding position facing the bowl. When men use a flush toilet standingwhile facing the bowl, which is usually while urinating, it is wellknown that urine sometimes splashes and/or splatters around behind thetoilet bowl, soiling the toilet bowl and leaving an unpleasant aroma.Consequently, a problem which still exists is that the design of flushtoilets is unable to prevent urine from mean soiling the toilet bowl andleaving an unpleasant aroma as a result of mere customary use of theflush toilet. Thus, there remains a need for a slide apparatus which isconfigured to redirect urine which splashes or splatters out of thetoilet bowl or misses the toilet bowl altogether back into the toiletbowl. It would be helpful if such a toilet bowl slide apparatus wasconfigured to be attached to a plurality of conventional toilet bowldesigns. It would be additionally desirable for such a toilet bowl slideapparatus to be able to cover the gap between the toilet tank and toiletbowl of a conventional flush toilet.

The Applicant's invention described herein provides for a slideapparatus adapted to cover the space behind a toilet bowl so as to blockurine which does not go or stay in the toilet bowl. The primarycomponent of Applicant's toilet bowl slide apparatus is an L-shaped,ceramic coated metal structure adapted to fit along the toilet bowl andthe toilet tank. When in operation, the toilet bowl slide apparatusredirects urine which splashes out of or misses the toilet tank backinto the toilet tank. As a result, a pervasive limitation ofconventional flush toilets designs is removed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A toilet bowl slide apparatus for redirecting urine which is projectedin the direction of the gap between the toilet bowl and toilet tank intothe toilet bowl. The toilet bowl slide apparatus comprises a contiguousstructure defined by a slide portion, an elongated back plate, and aback portion. The slide portion extends from approximately the pointwhere the toilet seat attaches to the toilet bowl into the toilet bowlto a point above the water level. The slide portion is thus able toprovide a slide means for redirecting urine projected toward the gapbetween the toilet bowl and the toilet tank of the flush toilet. Theback portion is a triangular structure fits into the corner where thetoilet bowl meets the toilet tank. The elongated back plate extendsvertically from the back portion and, together with the back plate,forms a counterweight through which the slide portion is balanced,enabling it to remain in place during the ordinary use of the flushtoilet on which it is installed. Thus, the back portion and theelongated back plate together provide a means for balancing the slidemeans to enable it to remain in place when installed on the flushtoilet. Through such a structure, the toilet bowl slide apparatusprovides a stable structure which blocks the space between the toiletbowl and the toilet tank and can redirect any urine which is directedtoward said space back into the toilet bowl.

It is an object of this invention to provide for a slide apparatus whichis configured to redirect urine which splashes or splatters out of thetoilet bowl or misses the toilet bowl altogether back into the toiletbowl.

It is another object of this invention to provide a toilet bowl slideapparatus configured to be attached to a plurality of conventionaltoilet bowl designs.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a toilet bowlslide apparatus which is able to cover the gap between the toilet tankand toilet bowl of a conventional flush toilet.

These and other objects will be apparent to one of skill in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 a is a front perspective view of a toilet bowl slide apparatusinstalled on a conventional flush toilet with the toilet seat and lidcover removed.

FIG. 1 b is a front perspective view of a toilet bowl slide apparatusinstalled on a conventional flush toilet with the toilet seat and lidcover down.

FIG. 1 c is a front perspective view of a toilet bowl slide apparatusinstalled on a conventional flush toilet with the toilet seat down andthe lid cover up.

FIG. 1 d is a front perspective view of a toilet bowl slide apparatusinstalled on a conventional flush toilet with the toilet seat up, thelid cover up, and the upper portion of toilet bowl slide apparatus inphantom.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a toilet bowl slide apparatusinstalled on a conventional flush toilet with no lid cover and thetoilet seat down.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of a toilet bowl slide apparatus inaccordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings and in particular FIGS. 1 a, 1 b, 1 c, 1d, 2, and 3, a toilet bowl slide apparatus 10 is shown having a slideportion 10 a connected to an elongated back plate 10 b through a backportion 10 c to form a contiguous barrier. The slide portion 10 a isdefined by an arched, narrowing lip that, when installed on aconventional flush toilet 11 extends into the toilet bowl to a pointabove the water level. By extending into the toilet bowl in such amanner, the slide portion 10 a blocks the space between the toilet bowland the toilet tank and can redirect any urine which is directed towardsaid space back into the toilet bowl.

The back portion 10 c is a weighted triangular block which is configuredto rest against the corner created at the point of intersection for atoilet bowl and a toilet tank of a conventional flush toilet. The backportion 10 c, along with the elongated back plate 10 b, form acounterweight to the slide portion 10 a. This counterweight enables thetoilet bowl slide apparatus 10 to be balanced and remain stable and inplace when it is installed on a flush toilet 11 in accordance with thepresent invention.

The elongated back plate 10 b extends vertically, from the back portion10 c, up the front wall of a toilet tank. As such, when a lid cover andtoilet seat are placed in the up position (as in parallel with the frontsurface of the toilet tank) it is contemplated that the lid cover willbe parallel with the elongated back plate 10 b or, depending on thedesign of the flush toilet, rest against the elongated back plate 10 b.In the same regard, it is contemplated that in flush toilets which donot have a lid cover, when the toilet seat is placed in the up position,the toilet seat will be parallel to or rest against the elongated backplate 10 b.

In operation, the toilet bowl slide apparatus 10 is able to remain inplace on a conventional flush toilet 11 through routine use of theconventional flush toilet 11, which necessarily includes the toilet seatand/or lid being moved repeatedly into the up position and the downposition (as in parallel to the top surface of the toilet seat).Whenever a user urinates from a standing position, facing the toiletbowl (with the toilet seat in the up position), any urine which splashesand/or splatters out of the toilet bowl, and any urine which misses thetoilet bowl altogether, and such stray urine is directed to the gapbetween the toilet tank and the toilet bowl, the toilet bowl slideapparatus 10 is able to block the urine and allow it to slide down theslide portion 10 a into the toilet bowl.

In the preferred embodiment, the toilet bowl slide apparatus 10 isconstructed out of a lightweight metal which is covered with a ceramicmaterial. As such, it is more easily transported that if it were solidceramic from a weight and durability perspective, but it still can bedesigned to blend in aesthetically with conventional ceramic flushtoilets of any color.

In an alternate embodiment, the elongated back plate 10 b extends lessin a vertical direction and the back portion 10 c and/or the elongatedback plate contains additional weight to allow it to still perform as acounterweight.

The instant invention has been shown and described herein in what isconsidered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment. It isrecognized, however, that departures may be made therefrom within thescope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to aperson skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:
 1. A toilet bowl slide apparatus for installing on aconventional flush toilet, comprising: a slide means for redirectingurine projected toward the gap between the toilet bowl and the toilettank of the flush toilet; and a means for balancing the slide means toenable it to remain in place when installed on the flush toilet.
 2. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein said toilet bowl slide apparatus isremovably installed on the flush toilet.
 3. A toilet bowl slideapparatus for installing on a conventional flush toilet, comprising: aback portion configured to rest in the corner created by theintersection point between the toilet bowl and the toilet tank of theflush toilet; and a slide portion connected to the back portion abovethe rim of the toilet bowl of the flush toilet and configured to extenddown into the toilet bowl, wherein said back portion is adapted toprovide a counterweight to said slide portion, enabling the toilet bowlslide apparatus to be balanced while installed on the flush toilet. 4.The apparatus of claim 3, additionally comprising a back plate which isconnected to and extends vertically from said back portion, wherein saidback plate additionally provides a counterweight to said slide portion.5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said back portion, slide portion,and back plate are disposed on a single, contiguous body.
 6. Theapparatus of claim 3, wherein said toilet bowl slide apparatus isremovably installed on the flush toilet.
 7. The apparatus of claim 3,wherein the slide portion narrows as it extends from the back portioninto the toilet bowl.
 8. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the toiletbowl slide apparatus is constructed of a lightweight metal covered withceramic.